Americans Say They’d Rather Be Seen As Smart Than Sexy

Would you rather be thin or strong? Smart or sexy? What exactly do Americans consider to be healthy in 2018? Parade magazine and Cleveland Clinic recently joined forces to take the pulse of Americans’ behaviors and attitudes toward health today. The surprising findings from the study include:

• 75% of Americans would rather be seen as physically strong than thin (25%)
• 79% would rather be seen as smart than sexy (21%)
• 68% strongly believe that mental health is just as important as physical health
• 88% believe society sets unrealistic body image expectations
• 89% agree that getting an annual physical or check-up is important
• But only 51% actually follow through on getting one
• 72% feel that exercise is more important than watching their diet
• 40% believe that if they work out for an hour daily, they can eat whatever they want for the rest of the day
• 43% weigh themselves at least weekly
• 56% think living healthy is too expensive for them